1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for receiving urine from patients and, more particularly, to devices especially adapted for receiving urine from female patients.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When a person is bed ridden, it is often necessary bring a receptacle to the person so that the person can urinate in the receptacle. Sometimes the person lies down in bed to urinate. At other times, the person is sitting in bed while urinating.
For a male, the presence of the male organ permits relatively easy control of the direction of a urine stream. For a female, however, directional control of the urine stream is quite difficult. Because directional control of a female urine stream is so difficult, it would be desirable if a urine receiving receptacle were provided that were especially adapted for receiving urine from a female patient.
There are a number of female urinals presently in use. However, these female urinals have to be held in place with someone's hands during urination. A person's illness may make it difficult for the person to hold the female urinal in place with one's hands. Alternatively, hospital personnel may hold the female urinal in place. However, receiving assistance of hospital personnel for the bodily function of urination may be embarrassing to the patient. Moreover, the hospital personnel may be needed to perform other functions. Generally, it would be desirable for a female patient to be able to carry out the urination function without the assistance of hospital personnel. It would also be desirable for a female patient to carry out the urination function without needing to hold a female urinal in place during urination.
Bed pans are often used to receive urine from bed ridden patients. However, for some people, the use of bed pans to receive urine is very difficult because the bladder is tilted the wrong way from the bed pan. For patients who cannot use a bed pan or cannot get out of bed, a urinary catheter may have to be used. However, a serious drawback of the use of a catheter is the susceptibility of infection. Thus, it would be desirable for a female urinal to be provided so that it is not necessary to use a bed pan. Moreover, it would be desirable for a female urinal to be provided so that the use of a urinary catheter may be precluded.
Another drawback of bed pans is that they are sometimes very difficult to place in position if the female patient is in traction, heavy, difficult to move, or elderly. In this respect, it would be desirable if a female urinal device were provided which is easy to use if the female patient is in traction, heavy, difficult to move, or elderly.
Bed pans are generally relatively flat-contoured devices which are not adapted to being hung from the side of a bed such as on a bed rail. For ease of accessibility to a female patient, however, it would be desirable for a urine receptacle to be adapted for hanging from the side of a bed such as from a bed rail.
Bed pans do not include lids which facilitate retention of urine within the bed pan. In this respect, it would be desirable if a female urinal device were provided with a lid that facilitates retention of urine within the urinal.
Some patients, such as patients with arthritis, do not have adequate finger facility for grasping a handle on a lid. In this respect, it would be desirable if a female urinal device were provided which includes a device for facilitating opening of a lid by persons who have arthritic fingers.
Bed pans generally do not include handles, but for ease of carrying a female urinal to a location for emptying and disposal of the retained urine, it would be desirable if the female urinal had a handle.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to portable urinals in general and female urinals in particular, and the following U.S. Pat. Nos. are representative of some of those innovations: 4,121,306; 4,202,058; 4,764,991; 4,937,889; and Des. 286,569. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,306 discloses a urinal that appears to be designed for use by a male. On the other hand U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,202,058, 4,764,991, 4,937,889, and Des. 286,569 are specifically directed to female urinals. However, none of the disclosed female urinals disclosed in the cited patents overcomes the numerous problems and achieves the numerous goals set forth hereinabove.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use female urinals, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a female urinal apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) permits a female patient to lie down in bed to urinate; (2) permits a female patient to sit in bed while urinating; (3) is especially adapted for receiving urine from a female patient; (4) enables a female patient to carry out the urination function without the assistance of hospital personnel; (5) does not require a female urinal to be held in place during urination; (6) eliminates the need of a bed pan for receiving urine from a female; (7) precludes the use of a urinary catheter; (8) is easy to use if the female patient is in traction, heavy, difficult to move, or elderly; (9) is adapted for hanging from the side of a bed such as from a bed rail; (10) is provided with a lid that facilitates retention of urine within the urinal; (11) includes a device for facilitating opening of a lid by persons who have arthritic fingers; and (12) has a handle. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique female urinal apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.